AfriForum landfill site audit: Stellaland landfill sites in critical state

The civil rights organisation AfriForum audited the landfill sites in Stellaland during the first two weeks of October 2017 and concluded that they are in a critical state and do not adhere to national standards.

This audit forms part of an annual national campaign during which landfill sites in towns where AfriForum branches have been established are measured on the basis of 33 questions. A landfill site must score 80% to adhere to the stipulated standards, but no landfill site in Stellaland was able to achieve this feat.

According to applicable legislation and regulations, among others the National Environmental Management: Waste Act (Act No. 59 of 2008), a landfill site must adhere to certain requirements. This includes factors such as access control, illegal dumping, fire regulations, fencing and rehabilitation.

“The landfill sites in Stellaland only achieved between 2% and 50%. These sites do in fact have waste management licenses, but definitely do not adhere to the above-mentioned requirements. Most of the landfill sites are not fenced off, and the fences of those that are in fact fenced off are in such a poor state that rubbish lies around everywhere. In most cases there are people living on the landfill sites, which not only presents a huge health risk, but is also accompanied by fires, which present a fire hazard. No medical waste was observed, but there were animal carcasses and tyres though,” says Alta Pretorius, AfriForum’s Regional Coordinator for Stellaland.

AfriForum is planning on directing letters to local as well as district municipalities in which they are encouraged to take immediate action with regard to the state of the landfill sites. If it does not happen, criminal charges will be brought against the parties involved.

The landfill sites in Stellaland performed as follows:

AfriForum will continuously monitor the process to ensure that the landfill sites are elevated to the required standard.